Fastener device for sanitary napkins



Feb 31951 MARTHA-JANE KNOWLTON 2,541,522

FASTENER DEVICE FOR SANITARY NAPKINS Filed April 2, 1948 Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENER DEVICE FOR SANITARY NAPKIN S Martha-Jane Knowlton, Worcester, Mass.

Application April 2, 1948, Serial No. 18,681

3 Claims. (Cl. 24-188) This invention relates to improvements in fastener devices of the type adapted for retaining the ends of a fabric material in a fixed position when attached thereto. One of the principal uses of the present invention is in securely retaining the ends of a cloth catamenial bandage in a predetermined position.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a fastener device of the above noted type which is designed so that a bandage end may be quickly inserted therein, but which at, the same time, is adapted to retain the bandage end in a most positive manner at all times.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fastener device which is most efficient in use, and which is inexpensive of manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention, and. the advantages attained thereby, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 represents the present invention as applied to the usual body-encircling band, or belt.

Fig. 2 represents, on an enlarged scale, a front elevation view of the present fastener device.

Fig. 3 represents a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 represents a front elevation view of the present invention, and illustrates the initial step in securing a bandage end to the fastener unit.

Fig. 5 illustrates the second step involved in securing the bandage end to the device.

Fig. 6 illustrates the final step in the securing of the bandage to the fastener.

In carrying .out the present invention, there is provided a fastener element preferably conconstructed from a piece of rigid material, such as metal, to form a thin flat body I0. As is particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, the body It] is formed along and adjacent its upper edge, with an elongated slot or opening II, for the purpose of receiving a strap or tab I2 which normally depends from a band, or :belt, I3 of the type which is adapted to encircle the waist when worn. The free end of the tab I2 may be looped through the opening II, and then stitched, or otherwise suitably secured, back upon its body portion, so as permanently to connect the fastener element to the tab. Usually, a belt, such as is illustrated in Fig. 1, is provided with a pair of such tabs, each of which is provided with a fastener element.

Again referring to Fig. 2, it is to be understood that the base portion III of the fastener element is provided with upper and lower throat openings I4 and I5, between which is disposed a cross bar member I6. At an intermediate portion of the right-hand edge of the base element III is provided a plurality of tooth elements I1. Similar tooth elements I8 are also provided at the free end portion of the cross bar I6.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be observed that the cross bar I6 is adapted to have pivotally mounted thereon an impaling member, or prong, I9. More specifically, the lower portion of this prong is provided with a lip 20 which is adapted to be inserted through a rectangular aperture 2| provided at the cross bar I6. Thereafter, this lip 20 may be bent upwardly so as to lock the prong in a pivotal position upon the cross bar, in a manner as is particularly illustrated in Fig. 3. As may be seen by referring to Fig. 2, the prong I9 has its upper edge portion provided with a plurality of teeth 22, while its left-hand side portion is also provided with similar teeth 23. It is to be understood that the prong I 9 is in the form of a fiat plate having one end portion thereof pivotally mounted upon the base member about an axis disposed crosswise of the base, while the free end portion is inclined with respect to the pivotal axis' Although the prong I9 is pivotally supported upon the cross bar I6, it will be observed that the pivotal movements of the former are limited. For example, when the prong is moved to an upwardly extending vertical position, it will close over the upper throat opening lfi by engaging a depending portion 24 of the body element I0. Also, this prong can only open to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, for the simple reason that the lower shoulder portions 25, 25 thereof will engage the cross bar I6 whenever the prong is disposed in a horizontal position.

In practice, with the fastener element permanently attached to the tab I2, as illustrated in Fig. 1, a flexible cloth article, such as a catamenial bandage 26, may be secured to the tab by extending a free end of the cloth first through the upper throat opening I4, while the prong I9 is in its opened or horizontal position. Thereafter, the prong may be swung upwardly to its vertical position, so as to close the throat opening I4, and at the same time impale the cloth 26 upon the teeth 22. (See Fig. 4.) Secondly, the end of the cloth 26 may be swung downwardly and over the left-hand edge portions of the prong and base elements, so as to be impaled upon teeth 18 and 23 and to be disposed behind the fastener element, in a manner as illustrated in Fig. 5. Finally, the cloth may be wrapped about the teeth I! of the right-hand edge portion of the base element, and thereafter be inserted into the lower throat opening [-5, so that the body portion of the bandage will depend from the fastener element. With the bandage so applied, any pull exerted lengthwise of the bandage or tab, will tend to lock the prong IS in a closed position and to impale further the end portions of the bandage upon the various teeth ll, 18, 22 and 23, so as more firmly and securely grip the bandage against any possibility of disarrangement. It will be manifest from the above, that since the bandage element is wrapped about the rear face of the fastener element, it will prevent the latter from chafing, or otherwise irritating the body of the user. Also, it will be understood that in spite of the security with which the bandage is retained on the fatsener, the former may be readily detached from the fastener by merely shifting the bandage out of the lower a throat openings formed in one side thereof, and

an article-impaling prong in the form of. a flat plate pivotally mounted at one end thereof upon said elongated plate between said pair of throat openings and about an axis disposed crosswise of said elongated plate, said prong having its free end portion inclined with respect to its pivotal axis and being provided with a plurality of teeth which extend diagonally across one of said throat openings whenever said prong is dis: posed against said elongated plate 2. A fastener device, comprising, an elongated plate having a pair of longitudinally spaced throat openings formed in one side thereof, a plurality of teeth disposed along the opposite r 4 side portion of said elongated plate, an articleimpaling prong in the form of a flat plate pivotally mounted at one end thereof upon said elongated plate between said pair of throat openings and about an axis disposed crosswise of said elongated plate, said prong having its free end portion inclined with respect to its pivotal axis, a plurality of teeth disposed upon the inclined free end portion of said prong, said prong being adapted to be shifted into a parallel relation with said elongated plate so as to extend across the entrance portion of one of said throat openings.

3. A fastener device, comprising, an elongated plate, having a pair of longitudinally spaced throat openings formed in one side thereof and a support-receiving slot disposed crosswise of said plate at one end thereof, a plurality of teeth disposed along that side of said plate opposite to said throat openings, an article-impaling prong in the form of a flat plate pivotally mounted at one end thereof upon said elongated plate between said pair of throat openings and about an axis disposed crosswise of said elongated plate, said prong having its free end portion inclined with respect to its pivotal axis so that when it is shifted to a position against said plate its outer pointed end portion will be disposed entirely over the entrance portion of one of said throat openings while its inclined portion will lie diagonally across such opening, and a plurality of teeth disposed upon the inclined free end portion of said prong.

MARTHA-JANE KNOWLTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 272,344 Stedman Feb. 13, 1883 992,831 Whelan May 23, 1911 2,282,635 Amendola May 12, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 185,404 Switzerland 1 Oct. 1, 1936 267,636 Great Britain Mar. 24, 1927 

